Internal combustion engines are commonly utilized to power the propeller of an outboard motor. In these types of motors, the engine is mounted in an enclosure formed by a cowling. The engine is oriented with its crankshaft vertically extending, with a bottom end of the crankshaft arranged to drive a drive shaft. This drive shaft extends through a lower portion of the motor to a transmission for selectively driving the propeller.
In some instances, the engine is provided with an electric starter for starting the engine. In others, only a manual starter is provided, or a manual starter is provided in addition to the electric starter for those situations where insufficient power is available to power the electric starter.
The manual pull-type starter typically comprises a drum or pulley connected to the crankshaft of the engine. One end of a flexible cord is attached to the pulley. A knob is positioned at the opposite end of the cord. The operator of the motor grips the knob and pulls outwardly on the cord, rotating the pulley and thus rotating the crankshaft, starting the engine.
To provide convenient access to the manual starter, the knob is located exterior to the cowling of the motor. This requires that the starter cord extend through the cowling from the pulley to the knob, such as through a small aperture in the cowling.
Problems arise with this starter arrangement in that when the cord passes through the cowling at a location or in a direction which is offset from a tangent line extending from the pulley at the point where the cord engages the pulley, the cord rubs on the cowling (i.e. the cord does not pass in a straight line through the opening in the cowling, but engages one side of the opening). When the cord is pulled out to start the engine, and then when retracted automatically by the manual starter, friction between the cord and cowling wears the cord. Eventually, this wearing effect may cause the cord to completely break. Where the engine is provided with only a manual starter, this will result in the operator being unable to start the engine. In addition, the frictional force on the cord increases the pulling force which the user must apply to start the engine.
There is desired an improved pull-type starter for an engine powering an outboard motor in which cord friction is reduced.